


Say It Out Loud

by PotterheadAvengerDemigod, theAbandoned_Grimoire



Series: Yin and Yang [2]
Category: The Founder of Diabolism, The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Cute, Deities, Gods, Internally Screaming Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Legends, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Mythological AU, Mythology - Freeform, Romantic Fluff, Suffering Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Supportive Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Tsundere Wēn Qíng, Wingman Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-03-29 20:19:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19027216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotterheadAvengerDemigod/pseuds/PotterheadAvengerDemigod, https://archiveofourown.org/users/theAbandoned_Grimoire/pseuds/theAbandoned_Grimoire
Summary: "Jiang Cheng! Jiang Cheng-" Wei Wuxian's voice grates on Jiang Cheng nerves like nothing else does, and the god of war rubs at his forehead, already exhausted."Jiang Cheng! Did I tell you, I met Han Guang-Jun last spring, he's really as beautiful as they say-"Yeah, Jiang Cheng was ready to die./OR/ the one where Wei Wuxian can't keep his mouth shut and everyone learns about life and death meeting. Also, Lan Wangji is a hot mess and everyone loves Xichen





	1. A Thousand and One Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not for the first time, Jiang Cheng wishes he could set his hounds on the god of death. Meanwhile, Jiang Yanli makes plans, Wen Ning tries not to cry, and Wen Qing is just so done with everything.
> 
> /OR/ Wei Wuxian going around to all his siblings and telling them about his meeting with the pretty Han Guang-Jun as they try not to cry after hearing it for the nth time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I relate to Jiang Cheng more then I do the rest of the cast, laughs. Many thanks to Potterhead for filling in the hilarious and inventive dialogue for this chapter! -A

“Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng,” come the eager shouts, and the god of war rubs his temples, pushing away the plate of steamed buns that was a snack he had procured from the kitchens. Why was his stupid brother home so early this year? He could hear the footsteps thundering through the long hallways of Lotus Pier. “I have news for you!” Wei Wuxian yells, and not for the first time, Jiang Cheng wishes he could set his hounds on the god of death.

It would be so, so cruel to do such a thing to his adopted brother, but it would get him to shut up for a bit… hmm. Was the silence worth the trauma and the fallout?

Considering that Wei Wuxian would likely run to their sister to complain, well… probably not.

(He didn’t want to see his stupid brother crying, in any case. It would hurt him as much as it hurt his brother, and that was a hard no right there.)

“What.” Is his rough reply, even as he mentally prepares himself for an hour-long rant on whatever in hell set his brother off this time, dragging the door to his rooms open as he does so. If an invitation was not issued, Wei Wuxian would barge in without questions - hell, he’d do the same thing even _with_ an invitation, so he might as well open the door.

Jiang Cheng often wonders what is wrong with his life, and why he is assisting his brother in his informal habits. With a grimace, he watches the god of death practically _bounce_ in, and by the divine grace, he was going to need a stiff drink, wasn’t he?

“There you are! I want to tell you, I met the god of life earlier when it was spring and- Han Guang-Jun, you know of him right? He’s just as pretty as rumors say, and he seems like he’s nice and-”

With a smooth movement, a steamed bun is shoved into Wei Wuxian’s mouth, forcing him to chew and swallow. Jiang Cheng sighs, having finally gotten a few seconds of quiet to process just what happened. “Slow down. Don’t speak like a buffoon,” he comments, “even if you are one.”

“So rude, Jiang Cheng!” is the retort, complete with a childish pout. “How can you treat your elder brother this way?”

He wouldn’t put it past Wei Wuxian to do something stupid like throw a steamed bun at his head. Fingers twitching, he fiddles with the carved runes on Zidian, making sure it remains in its inactive form - though honestly, it’s not as if anyone would mind if he accidentally (on purpose) electrocutes something.

(Or someone.)

"What elder brother? The only sibling I have is A-Jie."

There’s a loud gasp and a shrill cry of “Betrayaaaaallll-”, and he’s so very tempted to shove yet another steamed bun in Wei Wuxian’s mouth. It’s a foolproof way of shutting him up (for all of three seconds) and he’s just so done, thank you very much.

“I thought I heard you both from the outside,” is the soft voice that somehow manages to cut through the cry, and a familiar silhouette slides open the doors. Praise the heavens, A-Jie’s here, he thinks, and immediately sends her a (pleading) look. He can hear Wuxian scrambling to his feet, rushing to tackle Jiang Yanli, and there’s no way he’d ever do such a thing. 

(It was too improper, and besides, he couldn’t. War wasn’t soft and cuddly; war was hard edges and harsh lines and bloodstained hands, and he couldn’t taint his sister like that.)

 _"Shijie!"_ Wei Wuxian cries, looking at her with (falsely) teary eyes. "Jiang Cheng said I wasn't his brother! It breaks my heart, Shijie, A-Cheng always bullies Xian Xian like this!"

He almost chokes, slamming a fist into the table as he stands, ready to drag the scoundrel away from his sister. “Who are you calling A-Cheng, dammit!” And why was Wei Wuxian calling himself Xian Xian? He was getting goosebumps!

Yanli only laughs in that soft, dulcet tone of hers, even as she enters the room and places a container on the table. “I brought your favourite; it’s lotus root soup. Can you both agree to a truce while we share?”

For A-Jie’s lotus root soup? Yes, yes he could. He hums in acquiescence, retaking his seat. Wei Wuxian is immediately at the table, because honestly, neither of them can say no. It’s a good bribe, a fantastic one even, and his sister always makes the best soups. (The judgement is of course biased, but he’s never admitting to that.)

“Shijie, shijie, did I tell you, I met Han Guang-Jun in spring and there were rabbits and-”

He groans in despair. Not this again.

* * *

“Aah, I have to get back! I’ll see you later?” Without waiting for a goodbye, the god of death gathers his power around himself, waves, and promptly vanishes. It’s most convenient, for it allows Jiang Yanli to smile at her other younger brother, and slide a cup of tea over.

He’ll definitely be needing it.

“So, what did A-Xian tell you about his... Han Guang-Jun?” she asks gently, but chuckles when her brother blanches. It’s not her usual habit to tease them too much, but she allows herself a little bit of mischief every now and then. Aside from keeping things lively, she’s not willing to give up on her close relationships with both her brothers just yet, even if she will be married soon.

"A-Jie," Jiang Cheng sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "A-Jie, _please,_ let's not do this…"

"But, A-Cheng, it's been so long since A-Xian has been this happy," Yanli laughs, covering her smile with the hem of her sleeve. There’s no way Jiang Cheng hasn’t picked up on the fact that he’s being teased a little, but it’s not likely that he’ll say anything about it. “Perhaps we should help him a little?”

The god of war snorts, finishing the tea in one go. “What with? He doesn’t even see it. Anyway, I have work to be doing.”

“Then, I’ll do it,” is the quiet (mischievous!) laugh, “and maybe mention to A-Xian how his younger brother wanted to help, but was unfortunately too busy to.” Giving the choking Jiang Cheng a light hug and a pat on the head, Yanli gathers her pots and leaves with a small swirl of power, reappearing at the gates to the Underworld with a tiny pop. 

While she is fully capable of making her presence known, she simply prefers not to. As the goddess of home and hearth, subtlety and generosity were her biggest traits, as was warmth and care. Still, this was Wei Wuxian’s domain - the entire realm itself answered to him. Her presence here had likely already been noted by a spirit or some other such being, and the knowledge passed on to its ruler.

Indeed, the wait wasn’t long before she was tackled by the overgrown child she called brother. Wei Wuxian blinks at her, a bright smile on his face, even as he tugs at her hand to lead her to his home. “Shijie, not that I’m protesting, but you don’t usually come down here?” His tone is inquiring, light even, and she smiles, concealing it as always behind a sleeve.

“Tell me more about your meeting with Han Guang-Jun?” She suggests, gaze softening at the way silver eyes light up in unrestrained joy.

“Of course! Shijie, did you know, Han Guang-Jun likes small animals? I saw him when I was visiting a rabbit-”

* * *

By the time he was once again free to sit down and chat with his master, fall was about to end. Not only was Wei Wuxian busy reaping souls, the influx of dead arriving in the underworld meant that he, as the second, had to sort everything and keep the rowdier ones in line.

Sometimes, Wen Ning really didn’t like his job, but he could never bring himself to regret anything. After all, Wei Wuxian was the first person who saw any value in him. That, and the fact that the god of death was such a lonely soul made Wen Ning’s heart bleed. 

For his benefactor, he agreed to help. 

(For his friend, he agreed to stay.)

“Young Master-”

“A-Ying.”

“Young Master Wei.”

“A-Ying!”

Wen Ning sighs, but offers the god of death a tired smile. “Young Master A-Ying, then.” Ignoring the shocked gasp and the subsequent complaints (teasing) about his rebellious attitude, he takes a seat beside Wuxian, smoothing out the back of his robes as he did so. “I heard from the spirits that you’ve been going around sharing news about something that happened during spring?” And from one Jiang Yanli, but he wasn’t about to say that aloud.

Still, he would never stop calling Wuxian his master. As he was but a minor god of death, Wei Wuxian was indeed his superior. It was also a way for him to show the deep respect and familial affection he held for the other god. 

Even if he was a bit - okay, a _lot_ \- of a mess at times.

“Mhmm! I met Han Guang-Jun during the springtime,” the story starts. Wei Wuxian is seated cross-legged on the bench, rocking back and forth with small movements. “I was going to meet a rabbit but he was there also, probably because of the newborns, come to think of it. Ah, but he’s really so pretty-”

Wen Ning listens with a kind smile and a patient ear, and as the story continues on, pretends that he doesn't want to bash his brains out against the closest stalactite.

(Really, for someone who was a god of one of the most far-reaching dominions you could possibly get, Wei Wuxian was _truly_ the most thick-headed person Wen Ning knew.)

* * *

“Wen Qing Wen Qing Wen Qing Wen Qing-”

“If you don’t shut up, I will throw you out.”

“But- but-- I’m so cute and lovable, how could you possibly bear to-”

“Shut up, or else.”

“Wen Qi-!!”

Standing outside the room, Lan Xichen blinks, and takes another look to make sure that he’s at the correct destination. This is indeed the Hall of Medicine, and so he walks in, only to find a young man - the god of death? - slumped over the table, unconscious. Wen Qing doesn’t look too bothered, however, easily sidestepping the mess to grab her manuscripts. 

“He wouldn’t shut up about your brother,” is the curt explanation from the resident goddess of medicine, casually putting away her needles. “So I did something about it.”

 _Wangji?_ The elder Jade raises an eyebrow, baffled. “You are certain?”

Wen Qing's neatly arched eyebrow is really all the answer Xichen needs- the goddess is not known for being wrong, neither is she known for repeating herself.

Nevertheless, Wen Qing only holds his gaze for a scant moment before turning back to her manuscripts, and there is silence for a long moment before she clicks her tongue sharply. "Is there anyone else who "dresses like the virgin snow, with eyes of purest spun gold, who walks with the grace of a mountain lion and tarries not, even as blossoms spring up in his wake"?"

Xichen is not proud of the way he chokes on his next breath as the words sink in. He had not taken the god of death to be a poet, neither had he taken him to be the type to become infatuated with his polar opposite. 

"He-" the god of knowledge starts, and he has to cough to regain his voice as it breaks off. "The young lord said that? I did not… know that Young Master Wei was in possession of such a silver tongue."

Wen Qing scoffs, and Xichen does not need to see her face to know that she has rolled her eyes. "Pfft. As if this idiot here could ever string two words together and have them not come out a disaster. Please, he stole all those phrases from those… novels that god of the arts likes to parade around. I've seen them- Wei Wuxian will not stop trying to show them to Wen Ning, no matter how many times I've threatened to make him eat them-"

The goddess huffs, and Xichen can sense that she's getting derailed from their original conversation topic, but he cannot find it in himself to stop her without good reason.

"No matter how many times I tell that silly brother of mine to just say no to Wei Wuxian, he never does! It's always "Ah, Young Master Wei, let me help you," or "Young Master, please, this is my job,", why can't that ridiculous brother of mine just stand up for himself!" Wen Qing's words are vicious, but Xichen sees the way she gently maneuvers around Wei Wuxian's unconscious form, careful not to jostle him, sees the way her eyes land on him, flickering over him as if to assess his general wellbeing.

Xichen hides a smile in his sleeve, and pretends that he does not have possession of the knowledge that Wei Wuxian has been all but adopted by not only the Jiangs, but also these two Wen siblings as well.

Wei Wuxian shifts a little then, and almost tumbles off the stool he is slumped at before Wen Qing steadies him with a deft hand and a lengthy sigh.

"Mm," the god mumbles under his breath. "Rabbits- don't run- I'll roast you… why don't you like me… always running away…. Oh, Lan Zhan- catch the rabbits- Jiang Cheng- eat Shijie's soup-don't be a bad boy, Jiang Cheng… Shijie is happy- Lan Zhan will like the soup… oh, rabbits, yay…"

Wen Qing sighs, and rubs at her temples. "Great. We're back to the mumbling again. You only do this when you haven't slept enough, Wei Wuxian, why are you always like this, get some damned sleep before I get A-Ning to drug you-"

Xichen watches, bemused, as the goddess snaps her fingers, and then Wei Wuxian is abruptly transported into a cot that appears in the corner of the room. Xichen has never met said god of death before; neither has he ever seen Wen Qing interacting with anyone who wasn't her own brother, but the way she treats Wei Wuxian reminds Xichen of the way he has seen her handling Wen Ning as well.

… And why was Wei Wuxian dreaming of Wangji? And rabbits? And the Jiang siblings drinking soup?

Well, no one ever said death couldn't be eccentric.

"Well?" Wen Qing's curt voice startles Xichen out of his thoughts. He looks up at the goddess, whose manuscripts have now been neatly rolled and stacked back in their holders, and who is now looking at him with crossed arms and an arched brow. "I assume you came to the Hall of Medicine for a reason, Lord Knowledge?"

Xichen blinks, and shakes his head. He pulls a scroll out of his sleeve and lays it down on the table. "Ah, yes. I wanted to know…"

Maybe it was time he carved out a space in his schedule to pay Wangji a visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will feature LXC visiting LWJ, written by PotterheadAvengerDemigod!


	2. They Mean Naught But I Love You

As the sole god of knowledge, Lan Xichen knows many things. He knows all things within mortal ken, and his friends stretch far and wide, affording him a unique understanding of godly matters as well.

This omniscience does not explain the current scene that lies before him.

It is the dead of winter, the period when his little brother is always the least busy, and Xichen has, for once, the free time to come visit. It has been decades since the two of them have found the time to spend more than a few hours in each others' company, and Xichen is elated to finally have the time to spend with his baby brother.

Wangji’s abode is a small house in a forest clearing, a simple place.

This does not explain why there are a multitude of rabbits nibbling on the grass that grows strong from Wangji’s aura, nor does it explain why Wangji himself is practically sprinting across the grass, his hair disheveled and robes grass-stained, with a noticeable lack of his ever-present forehead ribbon.

His brother’s expression is devoid of emotion as usual, but there is a panicked shine to his eyes and the ever-so-slight crease to his brow speaks of exasperation.

There is movement in the grass ahead of Wangji, and Xichen’s gaze catches on a small bundle of black that bounds through the greenery.

Is Wangji… chasing a rabbit?

Xichen hides a chuckle in his sleeve, and pulls on his powers to fade ever so slightly into the landscape. It wouldn’t do to have Wangji notice him while his brother was finally learning what it was like to not be so disciplined all the time, after all.

So Xichen watches fondly from the side as Wangji races across the field, chasing so desperately after that sole rabbit, which somehow manages to elude Wangji's grasp.

It is only at the moment that Wangji finally closes two hands around the rabbit with a small sound of victory that Xichen realises that the rabbit has a long strip of something white in its mouth.

Wangji looks triumphant as he hoists the rabbit into his arms, shaking his head chidingly as he eases the strip of white from the rabbit's mouth.

"Mischievous little thing," Wangji murmurs under his breath, stroking a gentle palm down the rabbit's coat.

The rabbit nudges its head against Wangji's hand and goes boneless, eyes guileless as it begs for more pets.

Wangji shakes his head, and Xichen notes that now that Wangji is standing still, more of the rabbits have started to crowd around him, rubbing against his ankles and weaving between his legs, a few even pawing slightly at the hems of his robes.

Wangji clicks his tongue and sets the rabbit in his arms down before reaching up to tie his forehead ribbon back around-

_ The rabbit had stolen Wangji's forehead ribbon! _

Xichen is astounded by two things. One, that he had failed to notice the reason Wangji had been chasing so desperately after that particular rabbit until this exact moment, and two, that his brother was apparently so fond of rabbits that he would even let one get close enough to take his forehead ribbon in the first place.

"Adorable," Wangji murmurs then, and Xichen focuses back on the scene to the sight of Wangji seated on the ground, a rabbit in his lap and even more nudging at his sides, a few trying to crawl into his lap as well.

"I don't have food for you at this time, I'm afraid," Wangji says softly, but continues stroking his rabbits anyway.

When had Wangji even  _ gotten  _ pets?

Alright, it was time to have his questions answered.

With a gentle cough, Xichen makes his presence known, and he sees the way Wangji freezes at the sight of him, eyes wide in what could possibly be surprise, or more likely, embarrassment.

"Wangji," Xichen begins, smiling gently. "How have you be-"

Xichen cuts himself off at the scene before him.

It seems that Wangji's scant moment of shock had wrought some rather… interesting circumstances.

Namely that his brother's rabbits had taken advantage of their owner's lapse in attention and had begun to climb over each other, jostling for Wangji's attention, piling on top of each other until Xichen can barely distinguish the white of Wangji's robes from the white of rabbit fur.

Then Xichen blinks, and Wangji is completely submerged in a sea of rabbits.

His little brother is making distressed noises, muffled by the animals piled on top of him, and Xichen is laughing so hard that he can barely stop himself from toppling over. Wangji's confused noises turn to annoyance and exasperation after a while, indignant in a way that Xichen has not heard since they were but fledgling immortals, barely beginning their training for their eventual duties.

So Xichen laughs, and laughs, and  _ laughs. _

He laughs so hard that tears come to his eyes, that his cheeks ache from smiling, and he can barely make out Wangji's offended cry of, "Brother!" through the haze of his mirth.

Then there is a pulse of power, and the pile of rabbits falls apart as Wangji appears beside him in a flare of light. Wangji is disheveled in a way Xichen has never seen, his hair tangled and coming out of its topknot, the pin holding his headpiece in place askew and sliding ever so slowly out of its holder. Wangji's forehead ribbon is crooked, and his robes are half-tied, the sash loose around his waist and outer robes falling open. The back of that usually pristine white is covered in dirt and grass, and there are blades of grass and rabbit fur tangled in Wangji's hair.

Wangji's cheeks are flushed red, although whether in embarrassment or exertion Xichen cannot tell, but this is the most discomposed he has ever seen his brother, and Xichen cherishes this sight, holding the memory close in his heart.

"Greetings, Brother," Wangji says with a sharp inclination of his head. "What brings you here?"

Xichen blinks, and smiles. "Well, I had some free time, so I thought I'd come to visit you. I didn't know you'd decided to keep pets, Wangji."

Wangji hums, and does not answer.

"It is good to see you this happy. I did not know you thought so fondly of rabbits, Wangji, I could have given you a couple if I had known!"

"Did not like until recently," Wangji offers, and Xichen tilts his head.

"Oh?"

"Found a nest," is the explanation. "The mother had died, so I saved the little ones."

"Usually you would let something like this pass," Xichen says. "It is the way of life, after all."

The cogs begin to turn in his head, clicking together to form a picture that Xichen is not entirely sure he understands. A death that Wangji had most likely witnessed, before he'd abruptly decided to do something he normally would not…

Xichen smiles. "Would this, by any chance, have something to do with why Huaisang keeps telling me that you bumped into Wei Wuxian a couple of months ago?"

(He neglects to mention that Huaisang had not been the only, or even the first, immortal to tell him so.)

Wangji stares at him, mouth opening to say something before falling shut. His ears flare red.

"I- that is not-"

Then the pin holding his headpiece in place finally slips from its place, and Xichen watches with a kind of bemused amusement as Wangji's topknot comes loose, the headpiece falling to the ground with a soft thud even as Wangji's hair cascades down his back, loose and messy.

Xichen hides his laughter in a cough, and Wangji's stunned expression pulls into a scowl. His ears flush ever redder, and then another pulse of power reverberates from his brother, reverting Wangji back to his usual state of dress and composure.

Xichen coughs once more, and successfully reins in his laughter.

"You were saying?" Xichen prompts, and watches as Wangji's lips purse, almost a pout as his little brother refuses to speak.

He has not seen Wangji this childishly indignant since before their father had lost his divinity.

It is a welcome sight.

"We should sit and have some tea," Xichen says, smiling softly at his brother.

Wangji's shoulders relax a little, evidently relieved that Xichen has stopped his current line of questioning, and Xichen smiles wider, allowing himself this mischief.

"Perhaps then you could tell me more about your meeting with Wei Wuxian, A-Zhan."

Wangji freezes, and Xichen laughs harder than he has had in a long, long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [PotterheadAvengerDemigod's Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/_dreamdweller/)  
> Pop over and say hi!


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